Bi/Multilingual Teachers’ Education: an analysis of Brazilian official documents

Abstract

Our current context is marked by an intense exchange of information and accessibility to the most diverse modes of communication amongst citizens worldwide. In this globalized scenario, English plays an important role, since it is the language used in most of these international interactions. In Brazil, the teaching of English has become mandatory for Secondary School after the approval of our new national curriculum called Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BRASIL, 2018). It has also established in Brazilian families the perception that English is the most valuable language in the world today (MEGALE; LIBERALI, 2016). Therefore, it is noticeable the increase in the offers for bilingual and international prestigious schools in the country (MEGALE, 2017) to meet the present market demands in which families with favorable financial conditions search for institutions where their children can learn English while they also have access to good education (MARCELINO, 2009). The growth in the number of schools across the country created the need for more professionals to teach in these institutions. Based on this fact, this article was carried out aiming at verifying the knowledge that would be required for teachers in the context of bi/multilingual schools of prestigious languages that, in Brazil, are also called prestigious or elite bi/multilingual schools, as they attend, in the vast majority, the most privileged             population of our country. This article was based on interviews with professionals  in the field to understand the discourses and necessary practices for the work of educators in this context and the analysis of these official documents: Diretrizes Curriculares  Nacionais para a Formação Inicial de Professores para a Educação Básica e Base  Nacional Comum para a Formação Inicial de Professores da Educação Básica - BNC Formação (BRASIL, 2019) and Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para a oferta de  Educação Plurilíngue (BRASIL, 2020). The theories addressed in this article encompass the bilingual education perspectives (CAVALCANTI, 1999; GARCÍA, 2009; MEGALE, 2017), the views of monoglossic and heteroglossic languages (BUSH, 2005; GARCÍA, 2009), teachers’ education (LIBERALI, 2008; GATTI, 2010; FARIA e SABOTA, 2019; MEGALE, 2020), multilingualism and plurilingualism (GARCÍA, 2017; CEFR, 2020). The results of the analysis of the official documents and the interpretation of the interviews point to the fact that only the undergraduate course in Pedagogy or Languages seems to be insufficient for the education of a teacher who works in bi/multilingual schools of prestigious languages. This reality puts these professionals in a constant search for specific knowledge that would help them to teach in this educational field. Thus, it seems to be urgent the elaboration of undergraduate courses that could support teachers in their work in bi/multilingual.